News
Prison visits allowed again from Saturday
Prisons Commissioner General Thushara Upuldeniya
By Chaminda Silva
The Department of Prisons has announced that the ban on visitors to see inmates in prisons will be lifted from next Saturday (15).
The Commissioner of Prisons (Administration) Chandana Ekanayake said the administration had decided to allow inmates to meet their relatives in strict compliance with health and safety measures.
A special discussion chaired by Prisons Commissioner General Thushara Upuldeniya in this regard was held Monday with the participation of the Prisons Medical Director, the Deputy Directors and the Commissioners.
The Commissioner said that a guest was allowed to visit only one inmate once a week and visitors would still be prohibited from bringing food to the inmates.
In the wake of finding a COVID-19 infected inmate in the Welikada Prison in Colombo last month, it was decided to ban visitors to all prisons in the country from July 8.
News
Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue.
Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for
the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
News
Cabinet nod for “National Mineral Policy” – 2026
The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources.
The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and
Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.”
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